no. >> reporter: alan cumming was raised far from the big city lights. tell me about growing up in scottland. in those smallish town. >> it wasn't a town. i grew up on a country estate. >> reporter: country estate may sound like the setting for an idyllic scottish childhood. it wasn't. >> well, i have so few memories of my child heidt. it's really weird. that's because i didn't want to make the memories because they were so painful. >> reporter: cumming says he and his big brother were terrorized by their father who tended the forest on the estate. >> my dad was very, you know, troubled person. and violent. >> reporter: hard on you guys. yeah, he was. i think in a funny sort of way i had a very... a very balanced childhood. >> reporter: what balanced that? i had my father telling me i was worthless. and i had my mum telling me i was precious. so i didn't believe either of them. >> reporter: theater classes gave him a way out. >> when i started to act, it was something that i was good at. also other people would tell me i was good at it so my father could